The Island And the Man

THE ISLAND AND THE MAN

RACE WATCH

NORTON MANX

As this issue went to print, Bruce Anstey was the fastest rider ever at the Isle of Man, lapping at 132.298 mph on his Honda Fireblade during the 2014 Superbike TT. Here is how he approaches this most daunting race.

HOW LONG TO LEARN THE COURSE?

To get up to speed, three or four years at least. There are so many corners, and you can’t make a mistake.

HOW DO YOU PREPARE PHYSICALLY?

I do a lot of motocross. I have an RM250-I like the two-strokes. I do Wednesdays and Sundays in the off-season on a practice track.

HOW DO YOU PREPARE MENTALLY?

Just try to stay relaxed and spend as little time on the grid as possible. There’s no warm-up lap-you [get] on the ball straightway.

HOW IS YOUR SUPERBIKE SET UP?

It’s set up slightly different than Superbike specs. The footpegs, brackets, and handlebars are a lot stronger-the bumps and jumps are hard on the bike.

WHAT DO YOU WANT IN AN ISLE OF MAN RACEBIKE?

I just want a good-handling bike. You don't want an aggressive engine-a nice smooth engine, nice smooth power. If you’re getting out of shape, you go slower. -JLS